Modular pressure-displacement type ventilating apparatus



Dec. l5, 1953 |-:.`J. KUREK MODULAR PRE 2,662,463 E-DIsPLACEMENT TYPE VENTILATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 27, 1950 @y fmw; L55 f Dec. l5, 1953 E. J. KUREK 2,662,463 MODULAR PRESSURE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 195o I4 sheets-sni 2 N [ZIVEH D? Dec. l5, 1953 E, J, KUREK 2,662,463

MODULAR PRESSURE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1950 fly-5 Dc- 15, 1953 E. J. KUREK 2,662,463

MODULAR PRESSURE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE VPNTILATING APPARATUS Filed Peb. 27, 195o 4 Sheets-Shen 4 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 MODULAR PRESSURE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE VEN TILATING APPARATUS Edwin J. Kurek, Chicago, Ill., assigner to The Pyle-National Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,493 3 Claims. (Cl. 9813) The present invention relates generally to Ventilating apparatus and more particularly to ular structure comprising a plurality of polymorphic elements which may be readily and conveniently assembled to form a panel unit for a Ventilating apparatus operable on the so-called pressure-displacement principle.

Ventilating apparatus operable on the pressure-displacement principle has received Wide acclaim in recent years in many residential, commercial, and industrial air conditioning applications because such an apparatus is capable of delivering air at low velocity with Wide-spread diffusion, uniform temperatures and without detectable draft.

structure, which defines a primary plenum chamber to carry pressurized air and a space to be ventilated by such air and a panel unit defining a secondary plenum chamber is interposed therewith a valve opening therein and a third species of which has a foraminous surface. Each of the pan-like prototypes is provided with flanged beaded side Wall portions which completely surround the surface portions and which may be coupled in quick-connect assembly with frame runners having coupling elements for receiving the pan-like prototypes in selectively assembled i predetermined array.

In addition to the polymorphic nature of the pan-like prototypes, the frame elements are also standardized; corner brackets and splice plates being employed which are constructed in accordance with an identical basic pattern.

The use of a modular apparatus affords numerous advantages. The prototypal elements may be formed by the same dies and only additional form operations need be employed to convert the basic prototype into a distinct species. Thus, the elements of the modular structure may be stockpiled since any installation which prior to this invention would require custom building can easily be accommodated by ready combination of the polymorphic prototypes.

Moreover, the modular structure substantially eliminates all necessity for the employment of separate fastener means, thereby simplifying installation and permitting the use of elements which are greatly reduced in overall Weight and which may be conveniently handled.

An important advantage resulting from the provision of a modular apparatus lies in the fact that not only is the material cost of the ventilation panel unit greatly reduced but manufacturing overhead is also cut down since location assembly of the polymorphic elements substantially reduces the shipping and fabrication space requirements ordinarily utilized in the place of manufacture.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a modular pressure-displacement type Ventilating apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-displacement type Ventilating apparatus which may be economically produced from a reduced number by relatively unskilled personnel,

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of prototypes for a modular Ventilating apparatus which may be selectively assembled in any predetermined array to accommodate a Wide variety of installation requirements.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide pressure-displacement type ventilating apparatus comprised of standardized parts which may be manufactured at reduced cost with mass production methods and which may be subsequently stock-piled against future needs.

Iany other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will becon e manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts in elevation and somewhat diagrammatic in character showing a ceiling structure arrangement in a railway car employing a modular pressure-displacement type Ventilating apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure lA is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taiien substantially on line A--A of Figure l;

Figure 2 is a schematic and diagrammatic exploded view illustrating the principles of essernbly incorporated in the provision of a modular pressure-displacement type Ventilating apparatus according to the present invention;

Figures 3A, 3B and 3C are top plan views illustrating the structural features of three separate species of a pan-like prototype employed in a modular apparatus of the present invention.

Figures lili, 4B and 4C are side views of the corresponding structures shown in Figures 3A, 3B and 3C.

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation showing a frame runner and coupling ccnnection of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 5 but showing an alternative coupling connection;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view with parts broken away showing the cooperative relationship between a corner bracket and frame runners of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a corner cou-- pling junction as employed in the modular apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a splice plate according to the present invention; and

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the splice plate shown in Figure 8 but notched for converting the splice plate into a corner bracket as shown in dotted outline.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring rst to Figure indicated generally by the reference numeral iii is shown which deiines a primary plenum chamber i! to carry pressurized and conditioned ventilating air and an enclosed space l2 which is to be ventilated. A panel-type unit is indicated generally by the reference numeral I3 and may be marketed separately as a product of manufacture.

The panel unit i3 has many applications in residential, commercial and industrial temperav ture conditioning inst vllations and in such environments may be simply related to a duct le which deiines the primary plenum chamber li for the Ventilating system, however, the specific embodiment chosen for purposes of illustrating the principles of the present invention and depicted in somewhat diagrammatic form in Figures 1 and 1A relates to a Ventilating apparatus applied to railway vehicle equipment,

Thus, the building structure lu may be considered to comprise the shell of a railway vehicle and the duct ifi suitably encased by insulation l may extend lengthwise of the vehicle as a part of the ceiling structure. It will be understood that the usual pressurizing and conditioning means may be situated in another portion of the vehicle in communication with the primary plenum chamber il to provide a supply of pressurized conditioned Ventilating air thereto.

A sub-ceiling is provided in the vehicle and may be conveniently formed by the provision of a plurality of so-called acoustical pans il which are assembled in side by side relationship along the length of the car to enhance the decorative appearance of the car interior as well as to im- 1, a building structure prove the acoustic characteristics of the enclosed space i2.

The primary objective of a pressure-displacement ventilating apparatus is to effect uniform, draft-free, low-velocity air delivery throughout an entire occupied space, for example, throughout the railway vehicle herein illustrated. In order to selectively control the flow of air from the primary plenum chamber il into the space l2, a plurality of panel l are spaced along the length of the duct Ui to provide a plurality of secondary plenum chambers [E in interposed relationship between the primary plenum chamber il and the space l2 and in flow communication with both. In such manner, stream of Ventilating air from the primary plenum chamber may be introduced into the secondary plenum chamber at reduced pressure and low velocity whereupon the ventilating air may be further diffused as is displaced outwardly from the secondary plenum chamber and into the space to be ventilated.

It will be readily apparent that many variations occur in building designs as well as in car building designs especially with respect to ventilation requisites. Hence, car builders and architects have heretofore prescribed separate specifications for each ventilation installation, thereby requiring custom built Ventilating apparatus.

Although perfectly satisfactory from a performance standpoint, custom built Ventilating apparatus, of necessity, is inherently quite expensive and involves the manufacture and sale of equipment under increased overhead costs.

According to the present invention, a modular panel unit is provided which includes certain polymorphic prototypes as basic units of ccnstruction, thereby malring possible the provision of standardized panel unit runs which may be of any length desired to fulfill the peculiar requirements of any ventilating system installation.

As is shown schematically in Figure 2, a modular panel unit i3 utilizes a standardized sheet metal pan as a basic unit or construction. The basic unit is polymorphic, that is to say, it occurs in several distinct forms. Hence, the basic unit of construction may be defined as a pan-like prototype, in other words, a primary form is provided which occurs in the term of several tinct species.

Referring more particularly to Figures 3 and 4 and in further reference to the schematic illustration cf Figure 2, a plurality of pan-like prototypes are shown including a rst species 2 which may also be referred to hereinafter as a standard pan, a second species 2l, which may also be referred to as a valve pan, and a third species 22 which may also be referred to as a distribution pan.

As will be evident upon making reference to Figures 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B and 4C, the basic pattern of construction or each oi the prototypes is identical. The first species 20 or standard pan is provided with a continuous unbroken surface 2da. As shown in Figures 3A and en, a handle 23 may be appended to a selected number of the standard pans 20 if desired to facilitate installation of the last pan in a panel unit.

The second species 2i, or valve pan, may be subjected to an additional blanlring or forming operation so as to define a pair of valve apertures 21a, Zia, in spaced aligned relationship relative to the surface of the pan with a spindle aperture 2lb lying therebetween. In order to add strength to the surface of the valve pan 2l, a flanged rib Ele may be formed around the peripheral portions of each of the valve aper tures Zia. lt will be appreciated that the broken view of the valve pan 2l shown in Figures and 4E includes approximately one-half of tie actual area donned by each of the valve apertures a., 2id, however, further detailing is believed to be unnecessary to the understanding ci the principles of the present invention.

The third species 22 or distribution pan is subjected to an additional blanlring operation to provide a foraminous surface 22a dening an open area bearing a predetermined percentage ratio to the closed surface area, the open area being donned by a plurality of periorations 22h.

lin each instance, the various species 2t, 2i, 22 or the pan-like prototype are provided with surrounding side walls 2li which are` flanged upwardly and provided with an inwardly extending peripheral bead 2li, the opposite side of which forins a groove 2l. Each of the side walls Ell may be provided with a cut-out corner portion Elia to facilitate forming operations and to make subsequent assembly of the modular apparatus more convenient.

Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the utility oi the second species valve pan 2l may be enhanced by integrating therewith one or more perforated trough-shaped difusers 2li, one of which being rmly assembled to the surface of the valve pan El and lying in registry with each of the valve apertures 2id.

A bushing, the details of which are not shown,

is also assembled on the valve pan 2l in registry with the spindle aperture 2lb and threa-dedly carries a movable adiusting bolt 2li which mounts a valve plate it thereon i'or selectively adjustable reciprocable movement relative to the valve apertures Zia. By adjusting the plate il@ towards and away from the valve pan 2i, the

apertures alla will be variable throttled, thereby controlling the i'low or air from the primary plenum chamber into the secondary plenum chamber. A plurality ci resilient elements 3i rnay be interposed between the valve pan il and the valve plate Se to normally bias the valve plate upwardly, thereby precluding the occurrence of rattling noises and serving to guide the valve plate in its reciprocatory path.

Referring now more speciiically to Figures 5 6 in connection with Figures l and 2, the modular panel unit is is shown as including a frame having side members 32 and end roernbers 33 defined by a standardised frame runner 3e.

of the frame runners includes a snap retainer iii which is more or less W shape and which is formed along each oi L s marginal edge portions into the shape of a bead and groove as at 56a and btb to receive correspondingly beaded and grooved elements in mating relationship therewith.

The retainer may irinly to the side walls ci a duct structure as, for example, the duct it by means a plurality of fasteners 3l. In this particular embodiment, additional element for the frame runner is employed which may be termed a backing plate et.

The backing plate t8 is formed along one inarginal edge thereof to deine a bead and groove portion 33d and has a turned over marginal portion on the other edge thereof as at 33h. The backing plate es and the retainer may be integrated by spot welding as at In attaching the frame runners 3d to the side walls of a duct I4 in a railway vehicle, a felt stripping 3S may be interposed between the duct walls and the backing plate 38 and the fasteners il will extend through the retainer s6, the backing plate 38, the felt stripping te and the side Walls of the duct I4.

Any desired length of end members and side members 32 may be easily accommodated merelsr by providing a frame runner of appropriate dimension. Should the length required exo-eed the usual dimension of a conventional frame runner held in stock, a splice plate lli may be as is shown in Figure 9 to join several frame runners in end to end assembly. An assembly oi end rheinn bers 33 and side members l2 may also be `:foined by a coupling connection afforded by a corner bracket 6| as is shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The corner bracket di and the splice plate di are of identical construction except that the corner bracket t! is bent 99. In each instance, an originally ilat piece of inetal is appropriately sheared to permit formation or two pair oi legs, the legs being indicated by the reference numerals and tab. Each of the legs l2 includes a back 42e turned up from the cent-er portions of the ilat metal with a leg bent at right angles thereto and an arm are which bent baci:` upon the leg 22d at an acuate angle relative thereto. The angle between the alle and leg 42d is preferably the saine as the angle included between the V-shaped components or" W- shaped. retainer 3e.

The legs @2a and 2b are joined by a centrally disposed body portion fi-Zf, The leg portions of the legs 42a and 62h extend the entire length of the splice plate t! and thereby define strengthening flange portions for the body if the splice plate il is to be converted a corner bracket el', a V-shaped notch on Figure 10 and indicated by the reference nurn 'el 'S3 may be out out of each of the flanged por opposite the body l'flf in the leg portions whereupon the splice plate si may be bent right angular form to form a corner bracket ti as shown by the dotted lines.

In coupling a pair of frame runners in end-to end relationship, the legs ci a splice plate are inserted into the V-shaped components of the eV-shaped retainer 35 on one i ame runner 34 and the legs 2d of the splice plate are inserted into the retainer of a second freine runner 3s.

As is indicated in Figures 'l' and il, the backing plate 38 preferably extends beyond the ends of the retainer Se. When a pair or iranie runners are in assembled relationship, the ends of the retainers will be spaced apart by the width of the body 2f and the backing plates will engagingly abut one another.

If an end member and a side member 32 are to be coupled via a corner connection, the saine coupling procedure is followed.

Referring further to Figures 5 and t' in connection with Figures l and 2, several installation applications are shown.

In Figure 5, an acoustic pan il is shown which isl patterned after the distribution species of prototype, however, a layer of acoustical mata rial il is inserted within the pan to enhance the sound absorbing characteristics there t. acoustic pan il is provided with opstart flanged and beaded peripheral wells to be received in coupled relationship by the beaded portion 38d of the backing plate the beaded portion '36h of the retainer te.

It will be noted that the distribution pan 22 is mounted to lie flush with the acoustic pan i1. rIhus, an unbroken sub-ceiling may be defined by the acoustic pan il and the distribution pan 22 to improve the overall decorative effect achieved within the space i2.

In Figure 6, an architectural installation is depicted. showing a ceiling L?? suitably defined by an appropriate building material such as plaster or the like in which a plaster ground or clip is embedded. The clip is provided with a beaded coupling portion tu to be received by a frame runner It will be understood that a clip similar to the clip iii and indicated by the reference numeral 4S (Figure l) may also be secured by fastener to a wall surface for connecting acoustic pans H' or the like in abutting engagement with the surface.

In practice, the speciiications of any particular Ventilating system installation may be easily met by cutting suitable iengths of frame runners 34 to appropriate length and providing the required number of prototypes in the forms of standard pans 2?, valve pans 2l and distribution pans 22. It will be apparent that each of the species of the prototypal pans may be stock-piled as may be the frame runners.

If desired, all of the components may be shipped to job location in disassembled form whereupon the frame runners 3A may be readily connected to the side walls of a duct i4 or to an appropriate building structure.

A selected number of nrst species standard pans 2i! and second species valve pans 2i are positioned in predetermined array cn one side of the frame runners 3ft and the beaded .flanged peripheral side walls thereof are mated with the coupling elements of the frame runners 35i. In this manner, the open side of the duct l-l is closed, or in other words, a wall is provided for the primary plenum chamber ii. It may also be noted that the last standard pan 2G to be inserted may be equipped with the handles 23 as previously explained so that the pan may be positioned above the frame runners and pulled down into assembled relationship therewith to complete the closure of the duct.

The third species distribution pans 22 are positioned on the other side of the frame runners 3e and, hence, lie in spaced relationship to the closed wall of the duct ifi. It will be understood, that if necessary, a number of the standard pans Eil may also be situated on the frame runners 315i adjacent the third species distribution pans 22 if the prototypes are employed along the entire length of a run.

In this manner, the distribution pans 2e form a portion of one wall o the space i2 and all of the prototypes including the standard pans 2e, the valve pans 2i, the distribution pans 22 and the frame runners 34 together define a secondary plenum chamber it which is interposed between the primary plenum chamber l i and the space l2.

Thus, pressurized, conditioned Ventilating air carried in the primary plenum chamber ii may be introduced into the secondary plenum chamber i8 as regulated by the valve plate :it which vis in control of the new of air through the apertures 2 ia and such air will be diffused by the diffusers 28 as it enters the secondary plenum chamber l.

Air in the secondary plenum chamber i3 will be displaced outwardly and further diffused through the open area defined by the perforations 22h in the foraminated surface 22a of the third species distribution pans 22.

Although the preferred embodiment herein described in considerable detail for purposes of illustration could conceivably be modified as to various details of construction by a person skilled in the art, it should be understood that I propose to embody within the scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a modular pressure-displacement type Ventilating apparatus, a plurality of pan-like prototypes, one species comprising a standard pan, a second species comprising a valve pan dimensionally similar to said standard pan with a valve opening therein, and a third species comprising a distribution pan dimensionally similar to said standard pan and having a foraminated surface, each of said pan-like prototypes having flanged wall portions bent away from and surrounding cach of said surfaces, frame runners having coupling elements on opposite sides thereof engagingly receiving the flanged Wall portions o the prototypes in coupling relationship, a number of said first species and at least one of said second species of said prototypes being assembled on one side oi said frame runners, and at least one of the third species assembled on the other side of the frame runners, all of said prototypes together with the frame runners forming an enclosed air chamber, duct means connected to said second species and flowing air into said chamber through said valve opening, valve means carried by said second species or said prototypes in control of said valve opening therethrough to regulate the flow of air into said air chamber, whereby a restricted ow of air introduced into said air chamber is diffused outwardly through the foraminous surface defined by said third species of said prototypes.

2. In a railway car, means providing an open sided duct in the ceiling structure ci the car, a plurality of panshaped acoustic ceiling elements forming a sub-ceiling in the car extending inwardly and terminating short of the duct, a plurality of frame runners connected to the inner side walls of the duct, coupling elements carried by the frame runners on opposite sides thereof, and a plurality of pan-like prototypes, one species comprising a standard pan, a second species comprising a valve pan dimensionally similar to said standard pan with a valve opening formed therein, and a third species comprising a distribution pan dimensionally similar to said standard pan and having a foraminated surface, each of said pan-like prototypes having fianged wall portions bent away from an-d surrounding each or said surfaces, said coupling elements of said frame runners engagingly receiving the flanged wall. portions of the prototypes in coupling relationship, a number of said first species and at least one of said second species of said prototypes being assembled on one side of said frame runners, and a number of said first species and. at least one of said third species of said prototypes being assembled on the other side of said frame runners in flush relationship with said sub-ceiling to close the open side of the duct, all of said prototypes together with the frame runners forming an enclosed air chamber independent of said duct, valve means carried by said second species oi said prototypes in control of the valve opening therethrough and regulating the flow of air from said duct means into said enclosed air chamber,

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,244,870 Levens Oct. 30, 1917 1,339,391 Hendee May 11, 1920 1,376,284 Kohn Apr. 26, 1921 Number 20 Number 10 Name Date Munday Feb. 2, 1932 Pomerene Jan. 12, 1937 MacDonald Mar. 29, 1938 Powell Nov. 22, 1938 Norris Sept. 12, 1939 Reynolds Sept. 12, 1939 Morey Nov. 21, 1939 Rinnerman Sept. 3, 1940 Lucius Sept. 17, 1940 Jullien Jan. 7, 1941 Darbo Aug. 5, 1941 Leadbetter Aug. 5, 1941 Sipp et al Oct. 14, 1941 Norris Mar. 17, 1942 Damerel Dec. 8, 1942 Jackson Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France July 15, 1930 

